


Ghost Light

by potentiality_26



Category: Wild Wild West (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 00:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16169555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/potentiality_26/pseuds/potentiality_26
Summary: “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,” Artie said.Jim and Artie talk about ghosts.





	Ghost Light

**Author's Note:**

> Five years ago today I posted my first fic on AO3! It was a Wild Wild West fic, so I thought I'd write a little something for the anniversary (and for October!). This is probably a little sketchy historically speaking, but so is the show, so...

“You don’t believe in ghosts, do you?” Jim asked Artie. 

The changing of the season was mostly just a smell on the air then, but Jim was grateful for their warm train car all the same.  He couldn’t quite imagine himself and Artie huddled up close by a campfire out in the middle of nowhere, as he had often been alone before they got the train, before they were partners.  It would be an excuse to press close to Artie, though, if they were- not that Jim wasn’t doing that anyway.  His arm was thrown out along the couch, his fingertips brushing the nape of Artie’s neck.  He liked having Artie that close, liked knowing he could reel him in at any time if he wanted to.  “I’m an actor, James,” Artie replied, barely glancing up from the paper he had picked up at their last stop, and certainly not deigning to mention everything else he was.  “I believe in all kinds of things.  Why?”

Jim shrugged.  “I guess our last mission got me thinking.”

“Never a good sign,” Artie said. 

Jim snorted.  He could tell from the upward curve of Artie's lips that that was what he wanted. Their last mission had taken them to another half-deserted old town with a secret, one of nearly a hundred in their repertoire by then.  What distinguished it, mainly, was the man who had called them in.  An old sheriff, once a young government agent, and now a haunted man- as he at least believed- literally.  Jim of course hadn’t seen any ghosts, and hadn’t ever in his career seen anything that convinced him there were things in the world beyond the evidence of his senses.  Jim told Artie as much. 

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,” Artie said.

Jim snorted again.

“Look,” Artie said finally, putting aside his paper at last, "if you don't believe in ghosts, what’s bothering you?”

“I guess... I guess we do a lot that could haunt a man,” Jim said finally.  “I don’t think about it a lot, but I suppose I’m thinking about it today.  I’m thinking about that old sheriff, alone with his memories.  With his ghosts.  And I wonder if I...”  He couldn’t really finish that thought.  He had taken a lot of lives in his time, and failed to save even more.  He had scars and little aches and deeper pains to go with them, and it all got sharper the older he got.  The aches, the pains, the regrets.  He had been finding more grey hairs lately, and he wouldn’t have to quit today or tomorrow, but he would eventually have to quit, and he had no idea, yet, where or how he would end up.

“ _You’re_ not going to be alone,” Artie told him, with absolute conviction. 

Jim changed his grip a little in answer, held the back of Artie’s neck tighter, and Artie smiled.  He smiled and he started talking, started telling Jim about all kinds of theater superstitions, about ghost lights and cursed plays.  Outside it grew colder, and a chill wind knocked dying leaves to the ground beyond the train tracks, and Artie was warm underneath his hand.  That old town and that old man were far behind them now, and getting further- and wherever they went next, they were going together. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come see me on [tumblr](http://potentiality-26.tumblr.com/).


End file.
